Til the End
by Shimmerstar1212
Summary: Cagefights. That is the end that Nightclan meets. Two cats pitted against each other and expected to fight to the death. Not like it matters. They'll eventually be killed by their Cage Masters anyhow. So why keep fighting? Why keep hoping? Rated T for gore, violence, blood, and some swearing.
1. Prologue

**Yo, wazzup? Anyway, Shimmerstar1212 here with another fantastical story! (Hopefully…)**

_**Allegiances:**_

**The Cagers:**

**Fighters(cats who fight in the Cage)-**

**Flashstar- tall yellow she-cat with white speckles and green eyes. Master- Shard**

**Wildcry- black she-cat with orange splotches and amber eyes. Master- Crow**

**Adderclaw- gray tom with blue eyes. Master- Broken**

**Blaze- russet tom with gray markings and blue eyes. Master- Peak**

**Char- dark gray she-cat with black paws and amber eyes. Master- Flint**

**Ghost- pale gray tom with dark gray tabby markings and green eyes. Master- Wraith**

**Crest- dark brown tom with creamy markings and green eyes. Master- Pyro**

**Futures(cats in the market to become Fighters)-**

**Reaper- huge dark gray tom with thick black stripes and amber eyes**

**Smoke- pale gray she-cat with blue eyes**

**Longscar- pale yellow tom with silver tabby stripes and green eyes and a long scar snaking from his shoulder to the base of his tail**

**Frost- black tom with a gray tail tip and amber eyes**

**Holly- red orange she-cat with white splotches and blue eyes**

**Masters(cats who own the Fighters)-**

**Shard- black tom with white stripes and blue eyes**

**Crow- black tom with green eyes**

**Broken- creamy brown tom with green eyes and a broken foot**

**Peak- brown tom with blue eyes**

**Flint- gray-blue tom with amber eyes**

**Wraith- gray she-cat with white paws and blue eyes**

**Pyro- red orange she-cat with green eyes**

Prologue:

"Crest! Crest! Crest!" Cats of all different colors and sizes surrounded the metal bars of the Cage, fur bristling with excitement as they chanted the Fighter's name.

A dark brown tom crouched low in the center, green eyes narrowed in concentration. A ginger she-cat stood opposite of him, tail lashing in anger and fear.

With the cheers of the crowd booming in his ears, Crest lunged forward, catching the she-cat in her left eye and slicing her shoulder with his free paw.

With an agonized cry, she was thrown back, slamming hard into the metallic sides of the enclosure.

More yowls of approval echoed from the gathered cats as he pinned her down, eyes glittering with malice.

"Finish it!" a gray tom shouted, pressing up against the sides.

As if seeking guidance, Crest swept his gaze out to a small group of seven cats who were on the opposite side as the onlookers, each assessing his every move and breath.

A tall red-orange she-cat nodded, her expression monotone.

Grinning, Crest snapped his head down, latching his teeth into his competitor's neck and pressing in until he felt the bones begin to crack.

Without so much as a grunt, the body flopped to the ground, lifeless as the cold metal it was surrounded by.

The crowd roared, hungry for more, much to Crest's disgust. He hadn't _wanted _to kill that cat, but it was necessary for his own survival. All that mattered was surviving. And there was no way in _hell _that he was going to lose while Pyro was his Master. He'd really be risking his neck, then…

"Crest!" The commanding yet emotionless voice sounded form behind.

The tom whipped around to see Pyro stalking towards him, green eyes portraying nothing as usual.

"We need to leave. Before the crowd becomes any crazier," she meowed, flicking her tail.

He merely nodded, stepping in line behind her and obediently following like a lost kit.

They weaved in and out among the cats, destination in mind. He stared blackly ahead, avoiding the gaze of some of the other Fighters.

"I forgot to mention," Pyro growled as they neared the tiny, run down Twoleg building that served as the Fighters' quarters, "you have a few new roommates. Have fun."

She left him without another word, tail lashing.

Now curious, Crest warily padded into the building, head low.

"Let us go!"

His ears perked as an angry screech came to his ears on the breeze.

A muffled reply met the cat's words.

"Weak? You risk your tail when you call warriors of Nightclan weak!"


	2. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: Erin Hunter owns Warriors**

Chapter 1:

Cautiously, Crest edged into the other room, frightened of what he may see. Eyes wide and fur bristling, he stared at them.

The first one he saw was a tall yellow she-cat with white speckles and green eyes, probably the tallest cat he had ever seen. _Taller than even Pyro… _He thought.

The second was a very skinny and lithe black she-cat with orange splotches covering her fur and wild amber eyes.

The third was a rather stocky and wide plain gray tom with deep blue eyes and a scarred body.

Each one was hissing and spitting with rage, trying their best to break past what looked like Shard and Crow.

He jumped slightly as a quiet voice sounded in his ear. "They look kinda dangerous, hmm?"

Crest swiveled around, nodding a greeting to Char, a gray she-cat Fighter with black paws and blue eyes. "I'd have to agree."

She sat down beside him, neatly wrapping her tail around her paws, expressionless as she observed them.

"They smell like the forest. And they're larger than most of us, meaning they probably got more food. Then look at the yellow one's belly," she pointed towards it with her tail. "It hangs down more so than the others'. She must have given birth recently. No one I know from any of the Groups is allowed to have a mate or kits. Only Masters, Kittypets, and Clan cats are, and they are definitely not Masters or Kittypets."

Once again, Crest could not help but admire her ability to notice and pinpoint things with such precision. It was a gift to envy. "We rarely take in Clan cats. Why start now?"

Flicking her ears, Char replied, "haven't you noticed the drop in numbers of Free Cats and rogues? The Groups have been taking them all. No cats, no fights. It's only obvious that they would begin to have to reach further to get their oh-so precious Fighters."

"Don't talk so loudly about the other Groups!" A pale gray tom with darker markings crept up beside them, green eyes urgent. "You know how much tension has been going around with The Breakers and The Takers."

Char barked a cold, dry laughter at his words. "Damn'em all, I say. Let them come."

Crest gave Ghost a worried look, green eyes shining. Each shared the same worried thoughts about their fellow Fighter's arrogant and defiant attitude against The Cagers' sense of order. Perhaps that's what made her such a formidable and feared opponent. Of course, any Fighter that remained in The Cagers had to be.

Even Ghost, with his timid and shy attitude, would kill at the nod of his Master. Loyalty to your Master is what kept you alive. It's what kept Ghost alive. It's what's kept Crest alive. And Blaze. But not Char. She felt no loyalty or connection to Flint, her Master. It was her spirit, determination to survive, and her overall fierceness that kept her alive.

The yellow cat's fierce screeching pulled Crest away from his thoughts.

She was clawing at Shard, a black tom with thick white stripes that stood out like snow from the Twoleg roads, and icy, ruthless blue eyes. He looked unexpectedly happy and satisfied as she fought against him, fangs bared.

He finally called back to Crest. "Fetch Pyro and Broken, and be quick about it."

The brown tom dipped his head to Shard and whisked out the building, flattening his ears as a horrible roaring sound met him at the entrance. _There must be a Cage fight going on. That would make sense, I heard Blaze boasting about his upcoming victory up against the famous Breaker Group Fighter, Lynx. Like he'd ever win._

He skirted the crowd that was gathered around the Cage, eyes hungry for blood. The sight didn't bother him as much as it use to. _My conscious tells me to shut it away. No empathy. No sympathy. No questions. Wait, that was Pyro who said that. But I suppose she's my new consciousness, in a sense. I have no conscious. _

With a sigh, he continued on to where he knew that Pyro would be surveying the fight with the other Masters on a small cliff-like place that rose above the ground, and those who watched.

Sure enough, Crest spotted her fairly quickly, her bright red-orange pelt like a single flame among the rest. He swiftly picked his way among the crowd, careful not to not tread upon any of on-lookers' tails or paws.

The gathered cats separated and made a path after recognizing his status as a Fighter. Some reached out to touch him. Some spoke kindly to him. Some cursed at him. None realized that he was anonymous; indifferent to their words and gestures.

Pyro soon saw him as well and snaked her way over, emerald green eyes glittering with annoyance. "You should be in the Fighters' quarters. What do you want?"

Crest bowed deeply to his Master, not making any eye contact. "Shard asked me to fetch you and Broken. There seems to be trouble with the new recruits."

She nodded and turned around, beckoning to a large brown tom with her tail.

The tom limped out, his left-front paw hanging lifelessly by his leg. Despite his limp, he looked strong and fit, and it was obvious that he was an experienced battle opponent.

He nodded respectfully to the Master, and then let him and Pyro pass by so they could lead the way to the Fighters' quarters.

Trailing behind, Crest stretched his neck up so he could see beyond the heads of the crowd and into the Cage. The last thing he saw before a blue-gray cat stepped into his way was Blaze hanging from Lynx's jaws.

They at last reached their destination, eyes intent and ears pricked at the yowls that came from the inside.

Pyro trotted in, tail flicking, with Broken on her heels.

Crest came in as well, but much slower than they had. He picked up his pace a bit when he spotted Char and Ghost waiting for him on the opposite side of the room.

Pyro immediately joined Shard and Crow, instinctually unsheathing her claws in anticipation.

Shard whispered something to her, blue eyes narrowed. She nodded in return, tail flicking.

Breaking away from the three Masters, she circled around scanning over the wild cats with cold, calculating eyes.

The yellow she-cat had by then rounded to face her pupils dilated and fur spiked.

"What's your name?" The Master asked emotionlessly.

"You don't deserve our names!" The black and orange she-cat spat from where she was grappling with Crow.

Pyro rolled her eyes and stalked over to her, tail swishing.

Before the she-cat could respond, she had her pinned down by the neck, claws driving deep through her spiky fur and down to skin.

"First lesson of the Cagers," She mewed after pulling her paw back, jerking the amber-eyed cat's head back as she did so, "insubordination has consequences. Now," she turned to the tall, white- speckled she-cat, "your name?"

Green eyes wide with horror, she stammered, "F-Flashstar of Nightclan."

"Much better," Pyro praised her. "And your names?" she turned to the tom and the black and orange she-cat.

"Wildcry," the she-cat managed to choke out.

The tom obediently answered, "Adderclaw."

With a satisfied nod and smirk, Crest's Master flicked around to face Crow, Shard, and Broken. "I assume you can handle them from here?" Even though it was technically forbidden for a Master to harm another physically, they feared and respected Pyro all the same.

"Yes, we have it from here," Crow murmured, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Nodding, the red-orange she-cat stalked out of the Twoleg den, then stopped. "Blaze has lost fight. I'd like you to come with me to the Market so we can see who Peak chooses as his next Fighter."

_How did she know? There's no way she could have heard them announce his defeat from here!_

She continued on, Crest scrambling after her. "What do you think of the new Fighters?"

"They have spirit- I'll credit them for that. Though there is such thing as too much spirit," Pyro answered.

He nodded in agreement.

_But too much spirit is exactly what we might need if we're ever to escape._


End file.
